Children will be required to wear masks ‘at all times’ in schools, Murphy said – NJ.com

Students must wear masks in school buildings unless they have a medical condition or certain disabilities, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday, walking back a prior policy that strongly encouraged children to wear face coverings.

Children must wear masks even while social distancing, Murphy said during his regular media briefing on the coronavirus in Trenton. The previous rule required masks only in crowded areas and recommended them for use in classrooms.

“We know that face coverings work, and we will now ensure that everyone in a school building will wear one,” he said.

Teachers have raised concerns about the feasibility of masks in schools, saying younger students will struggle to keep them on properly throughout the day. Schools in Paterson planned to have “mask breaks,” when students could take them off for a few minutes each day while remaining in their seats quietly.

Murphy said he did not think the rule would allow for such breaks, but did say children could still remove them off for lunch and snacks.

Many of the state’s school districts had already worked mandatory mask requirements into their reopening plans.

John Abeigon, president of the 4,000-member Newark Teachers Union, said he “absolutely” supports the change in the state’s guidelines to require mandatory masks for both teachers and students.

“What was the point of the teacher having masks if the kids don’t have the masks?” Abeigon said.

Officials have recommended parents “mask train” their children, so they become used to wearing face coverings for long periods of time.

NJ Advance Media reporter Kelly Heyboer contributed to this report.

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Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.